


Down the wishing well

by Gandalfgirl579



Category: The Grisha Trilogy - Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Emotional Manipulation, F/M, Minor Character Death, Modern Era, because it's darkles what else would you expect?, mermaid au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-02
Updated: 2020-11-02
Packaged: 2021-03-09 09:55:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27349270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gandalfgirl579/pseuds/Gandalfgirl579
Summary: The wishing well was haunted, they said. Wish-infused coins disappeared down there, vanishing into that swirling, inky blackness, never to be seen again.They never had the chance to settle, snatched up and devoured before they could even hit the bottom.Once, when she was very young, Alina had caught a glimpse of the creature that ate them.A mermaid AU! Featuring darklina with a side of unrequited malina.
Relationships: Mal Oretsev/Alina Starkov, The Darkling | Aleksander Morozova/Alina Starkov
Comments: 13
Kudos: 39





	Down the wishing well

The wishing well was haunted, they said. Wish-infused coins disappeared down there, vanishing into that swirling, inky blackness, never to be seen again.

They never had the chance to settle, snatched up and devoured before they could even hit the bottom.

Once, when she was very young, Alina had caught a glimpse of the creature that ate them.

It was beautiful, in a peculiar, otherworldly way. At first glance, she thought there was a man trapped down there, but the creature was no man.

So pale it was, gauzy and immaterial, circling like a slender shark in the pitch-colored water, hungry to the point of frenzy as children mindlessly dropped shining pennies down into its lair, into its waiting maw. Though it was no man, it seemed to be male, a slim, athletic thing of snow-white skin and obsidian hair and sharp, crystalline eyes. It was lovely somehow, a long gossamer tail extending in place of legs, hips twisting into its movements, circling and circling, wild and elegant.

No one else seemed to see it, and long after the other children had gone home, Alina had remained, watching quietly as the creature circled the base of the well, coins shining in its clawed, webbed hands, precious treasures held to its concave chest.

Enthralled, still silent, Alina watched as the creature popped one of the coins into its mouth, the metal crunching in its lovely fang-lined mouth.

Her gasp must have drawn the creature’s attention, for it suddenly stopped, gazing up with crystal-gray eyes, curious and angry.

When she refused to look away, it hissed, clutching its bounty tighter.

Though she flinched, she did not look away, and the creature gave a soft hum of approval, of appraisal: _You are brave_.

It was odd to hear that glacial voice in her mind, but Alina was not put off, simply dropping a newly-minted half-dollar down the well, infused with a wish of her very own: _I wish to see you again_.

They saw each other time and time again, Alina dropping a coin down the well with every visit.

That first wish had been made twelve years ago, and it had come true.

As unlikely as it had been, they became friends, she and the creature. Visits were common, a weekly occurrence, and both of them had been immensely pleased when Alina’s adopted father purchased the land the well sat upon, building a little country cottage for them and all the other children to spend their summers in.

Of course, the summers always ended far too quickly, and with autumn came school and homework and new friends.

Ten years ago, a second wish came alongside a quarter: _I wish Mal liked me_. Whoever he was, the creature knew it didn’t like him, wrinkling its nose at the very mention of his name.

"Are you jealous?“ Alina had asked, clearly amused, and the creature had merely rolled its dark eyes in response.

For a while, that wish had come true: Alina was the center of this Mal’s world for a few golden months, and she told the creature -- A truly captive audience -- of their childish relationship. The beast seemed a bit too pleased when, some nine months later, the fledgling relationship fell apart.

Alina’s lonely teenage years had brought her still closer to the well, lingering in the presence of the creature, going so far as to build a discreet pulley system to lift it into the open air. It became a bit more difficult to sneak out, what with all the studying Alina had to do, but it seemed the creature enjoyed flipping idly through her atlases and her geography textbook, and Alina’s adopted father seemed greatly enthused to learn that his daughter had found a study buddy.

Had he known the study buddy’s nature…

Alina had an incredibly difficult time studying in its presence, if she were to be honest. She spent more time studying it than studying for her assignments. The creature was even more beautiful in the sunlight, its ebony hair shining, its granite eyes glimmering, its ice-white skin nearly transparent, its long tail extending onto the grass, shimmering faintly. Absolutely gorgeous.

As she grew, though, Alina found her priorities shifting, rearranging themselves without her consent.

At seventeen, she’d made a third wish, a sensible, _I hope I get into a good college_.

The creature’s shattered-glass voice echoed in her mind, soft and reassuring: _You will_. She tried his best to ignore the sadness in those words. _I know you will._

And so she had.

Of course, there was no magic aiding her desires. She’d won that fight entirely on her own. It was not all she’d hoped for, though. She had been introduced to a wonderful career and reunited with her long-lost long-loved Mal, but leaving home was a far greater sorrow than she’d been prepared for.

The sorrow only became stronger as time progressed, and her next wish was, unfortunately, for something no amount of magic could give her.

She was twenty-two, already losing hope, when she implored through silvery tears, _I want my father back_.

The creature had sympathized, it seemed, sitting on the edge of the well and running it clawed hands through Alina’s hair, looping its long tail around her legs and holding her close, licking away the salty trails of her tears.

Alina hadn’t looked at it the same after that day.

She hadn’t looked at it _at all_ after that day.

It had been eight years since she’d seen the creature last, twenty years since their first meeting, and she was surprised to see it awaiting her when he arrived at the cottage. Of the entire overgrown property, it was the only thing that hadn’t changed, glimmering milk-white in the starlight, as pale and beautiful and utterly impossible as it had always been.

_You’ve been away for so long_ , its voice said in his head. _Where did you go, my Alina_? It sounded hurt. _Did you forget about me?_

For a long moment, Alina was silent. Then, as the wind picked up through the meadow, whistling through the well, she said, "Of course I didn’t.” It was true. For years, the lovely beast had been all she had thought about. It was tearing her apart, to be honest, and she took a seat at the well’s edge, plucking a shiny penny from the pocket of her jeans.

_You came to make a wish_? it asked with a curious tilt of its head, its unfathomable eyes catching the moon, shining.

Taking the creature’s hand in hers, Alina pressed the penny to the white, smooth palm, wishing aloud, “I wish I loved my husband.”

That pale hand closed around hers, razor claws touching gingerly to her skin. It could have sliced her to ribbons if it wanted to, but it didn’t. Of course it didn’t. For some reason she couldn’t quite place, Alina trusted it. She always had. 

Looking rather concerned, it asked, its voice soft, _You don’t love him anymore?_

Alina was too ashamed to admit it, though her eyes screamed it out to the world. Mal had noticed it himself, of course. He was leaving, running off with God only knew who, and Alina found that she didn’t have it in herself to care. Though she no longer loved him, he deserved happiness. “I’d rather have you than him.”

_You know nothing of me._

"Then tell me.“ There was something like determination in Alina’s voice, and she shivered when the creature smiled at her with dark, hooded eyes. "Tell me everything.”

_There’s a lot to tell_. It very nearly sounded like a challenge. _Where would we even start?_

"You could tell me your name.“

_It took you twenty years to ask._

"I was convinced you were a figment of my imagination,” was all the defense Alina could muster. It was the truth.

It took the creature a moment to answer, rolling the words around in its head before it finally admitted, very softly, _It’s Aleksander._

"Aleksander.“ It tasted right.

_Mm-hmm_. A pointed tongue snaked past its -- Aleksander’s -- lips, running along copper before the creature sneered, declaring, _I can’t eat this._

"It’s an ordinary penny, Aleksander.” Yes, that name tasted perfect.

_There’s no hope on it_. It -- He, not it, Alina realized -- He seemed melancholic. _I don’t live off the coins, Alina. **I live off the wishes.** The hope._ He glanced up, snaring Alina’s eyes with his own, the penny clenched in his fist. _There’s no hope here._

"Isn’t there?“

_You have no hope for loving your husband._

It was the truth, and Alina sighed, though the sound caught in her throat when Aleksander leaned closer, nuzzling against her jaw. One pale, clawed hand traced along the denim of her jacket, and she shivered when it pressed down just above her heart, feeling the racing beat of it through layers of fabric.

_You have hope for loving me._ Aleksander’s voice was soft, shattering. _That’s the hope I want._

"Oh?” There was little more Alina could think to say. Instead of offering words, she took Aleksander’s hand again, holding it in place, willing him to understand that the heartbeat he felt was already his.

_Yes._

It was a sigh, a hiss, soft and far too tempting. Alina had no doubt that he knew exactly what she was thinking. He had a way of seeing deeper than humans did. _Could you hope for me, Alina?_

Alina’s own voice was quiet, nearly drowned out in the cricket-song around them. She spoke hope, an absolute truth: “I have for years.”

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first mermaid AU I've written for this fandom, and it continues to be my favorite AU of all time! There may be more to come! Keep an eye open! 
> 
> As always, I must mention that I go by [TheStarless1](http://thestarless1.tumblr.com/) over on Tumblr, and I'm totally open to taking questions and comments and requests and prompts there! :) Hit me up!


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